Focusing on Volvo's shareholders at the general meeting

In the beginning of April AB Volvo (publ) held their general meeting in central Gothenburg. Almost 800 people participated and Euroclear Sweden was on site during the day acting as support. Fredrik Ahlberg, Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Legal at Volvo, tells more about the general meeting.

For the general meeting of 2013 Volvo chose Euroclear as supplier of general meeting services. We asked Fredrik Ahlberg, Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Legal at AB Volvo (publ), Volvo, a few questions.

What was your role during the general meeting?

”Being responsible for the legal department at AB Volvo, my job is to make sure all the legal aspects around the meeting works. This involves things like getting the invitation out in time, making sure the registration process works as well as ensuring we have an accurate voting list during the meeting.”

What are the main challenges when you organise a general meeting?

”A general meeting is a project where many different parts of the company are working together towards a common goal. To gather and co-ordinate everyone’s contributions is therefore a challenge, but I think we manage it well at Volvo.”

“The meeting is also a live event so you never know what could happen. This poses high demands on careful preparations, but also on the ability to manage unexpected incidents.”

What is the most important aspect for you as a company when you choose a supplier of general meeting services?

”Since the general meeting is one of the few events where we have the opportunity meet our shareholders and tell them about our business, it is very important that all arrangements work smoothly. Our focus should be on our presentation for and discussion with our shareholders and nothing else.“

Do you have any advice you would like to share with other companies who are about to organise a general meeting?

”Careful preparations and well-functioning co-operation between the internal departments involved is fundamental for a successful general meeting. To spend a lot of time and effort on these aspects is my best advice.”